Three more days!

Woah! My twin sister gets married on Saturday. I can't believe it! I am so excited to walk through this next season with her. I love married life and I know she will, too. And I absolutely love having Lauren and Evan across the street. We have already shared so many meals and played lots of games. It really is the best. 

Lauren and Evan in front of their new home: 

Ok, I am not a cat person. I am pretty allergic to them but this little cat showed up at Lauren's place the day they moved in and he is always around. We named him Tony Fiskers and he is quite possibly the most cuddly, affectionate cat I have ever met. 

I love having a pet I can play with and cuddle with and not have to feed. He is adorable. 

So this last weekend I hosted a bridal shower for Lauren. I found this lantern idea on pinterest and I thought I would share. 

Supplies needed:
-Christmas Lights

-Dixie Cups

-Scissors

-Construction Paper

-Glue/Tape

-X-acto Knife

1. Take a dixie cup apart and use it as a template to cut the construction paper out. 

2. With glue or tape, wrap the paper around the dixie cup. 

3. Using an X-acto knife, cut a little X on top of the cup. 

4. Push the Christmas lights through the cup and voila! I had about 3 lights exposed between each cup but you can cover the lights however you like. 

A few of the pretty ladies celebrating Lauren. 

The bride getting showered. 

The best key lime cupcakes ever!

Lots of yummy food and a delicious pineapple raspberry champagne punch. 

On a side note: Wahoo! Our first fall harvest. We have HUGE sweet potatoes. We will be eating these for a very long time. 

Enjoy the beginning of Fall!

Community

Many of you may know that my sister, my husband and I got in a pretty bad accident a week ago. We were on our way to NYC to pick up Lauren's fiancee and spend Labor Day in the city. We were attempting the 15 hour drive through the night and it was my turn to drive. On a stretch of interstate at 11:20 pm, somewhere in the middle of nowhere Virginia, a deer jumped in front of the car. I swerved and hit the right guard rail before ricocheting and crossing the grass median, the on-coming traffic and finally crashing into the far left guard rail. I can't really explain how it all happened and there are quite a few emotions I am still trying to process. Unless you have been in a situation like this, it is hard to explain the emotions involved in a life-threatening moment. We had minor injuries including sprained backs, compressed vertebrae, Lauren fracturing her foot and major whiplash. Considering how serious the accident was, we really are ok. And I experienced my first ambulance ride - board, neck brace and all.

This is after a night in the ER and apparently we love grey.

But retelling the story of the accident wasn't really the purpose of this post.
How many times have we heard that the 'church' is not about the building, it is about the people that make up the community? This last week we have experienced what it means to be part of community in a whole new way. I have walked along side friends adopting, having babies, miscarrying, getting sick, moving houses and simply needing help. I have seen how people rally together to support those in need.
Well this last week we have been blessed beyond words at the way people have rallied around us.

It all started with super nice EMTs who were friendly and understanding. We had a great nurse named Lori who after discharging us from the ER rolled another bed into the room, brought us blankets, pillows and water and said we could sleep here for no charge. It was 2 am and we had no where to go in the middle of the night 7 hours from home. We 'slept' for 6 hours totally undisturbed. That morning we went to the cafeteria and they were wrapping up serving breakfast. The lady behind the counter came out with sausage biscuits and orange juice and told us that she was just giving them away. Sweet! A free bed and breakfast ;)

We didn't want to be apart so they treated us together. 

My parents were amazing. They drove 7 hours to come get us. They helped us get neck and back braces, take pictures of the car and accident site and got us home as comfortably as possible.

The towing company was in the middle of nowhere...seriously...

When we got home Michael's parents were there with dinner. They fed the chickens, did our laundry, cooked and cleaned for us. My brother and sister-in-law come over the following day with our nephew and dinner. Kids are therapeutic. Liam made me so happy, he was sweet and cuddly. Our dear friends, Jonathan and Becca Moody came by with the most scrumptious brunch. And my sweet coworker, Autumn, came by with dinner.

My first day back to work was better than I expected. Hellen brought me Starbucks and a stack of movies, Amanda and Autumn have been taking turns picking me up and dropping me off, Kathleen brought me a week worth of food and groceries and books and everyone took time to talk with me and pray for me. My coworkers mean the world to me. We do life together. They encourage, strengthen, challenge, and love me so well.

Some of my coworkers!

This week Michael and I even received a meal from a new friend and team leader that I just met the day of the accident. I received cards in the mail from family and coworkers. I got so many phone calls, texts, Facebook messages and posts from friends encouraging me and praying for us. It meant so much to me.

I have been reflecting on it all week - this is what the church is all about. For some it was just a text message or bringing by a meal. But that simple act kept me going until another person stepped in.

So to my family, my friends, and my coworkers (which really encompasses 'family' and friends) - Thank you. I have been overwhelmed by the way you have supported Michael and me this last week. I appreciate everyone's willingness to listen as I process the experience. Not having to worry about meals and errands and chickens and car rides...you all have demonstrated what church looks like. We were made to live in community and to not walk through life alone. So next time you guys are in need of help, we will be the first ones there!

Now time to think of all the wonderful things coming up! Birthdays next week, helping Lauren and Evan move in next weekend, showers and parties and wedding to cap off the month.

God is good and we are so grateful.

Goodbye summer

I promised myself when I started this blog that I would not let myself feel guilty if I didn't post all the time. Well, it has been almost 2 months... so I thought I would summarize what all I have been up to these last few summer months. 

My summer started with a bang! I led a team of 15 to Uganda and Ethiopia in May through Visiting Orphans. I love all the women on the team and I discovered that though I am young God can use me to lead others. I learned so much about strange things that interest me, like essential oils and non-traditional healing methods. It is amazing how a missions trip can bring you so close to strangers so quickly. It really was a special team. 

I got to meet the most precious, incredible couple - Papa Isaac and Mama Rebecca. I can't wait to go back to Uganda in December to see them again! They have a sign on their property that says "You are most welcome". This really stuck with me on this trip. Everyone I encountered was so hospitable and selfless. When they say 'make yourself at home', they mean it. Eat their food, sit and relax, don't worry about a thing. It made me think about the way we host people in America. We say make yourself at home but many times it means 'don't go in that room', 'sorry I didn't clean', 'you can do this but don't do that'. It is hospitality with strings attached. I want people to feel at home when they walk into my house. I don't want to apologize if I didn't dust. I want to share my stash of yummy chai. I want to say 'you are most welcome' and mean it. I love Africans!

I spent a lot of time with sweet Sarah. She wants to be a nurse when she grows up and we were both happy to have a new friend. 

Then I got to see my favorite ladies in Addis! 

It is such a treat to see them. My first trip to Ethiopia in January I met these 6 women who work in the kitchen at a ministry we partner with. You can read about my first experience meeting them here. 

 I came home from Africa, which was the longest Michael and I have ever spent apart, and we went to Chicago to celebrate our 2 year wedding anniversary!

I loved this city, especially with this guy. 

We had so much fun exploring the city and eating all the yummy food. 

 We then decided to get chickens! You can read all about the chicken adventures on my previous posts: here and here.

 

We got them at 3 days old. They were so cute! Sweet Jean, Matilda, Faye and Doris. 

Time to build a chicken coop!

Here is Jean around the time they moved outside. 

 Many people have asked me how the chickens are doing. Well, they are 3 months old and should be laying eggs in the next month. They no longer chirp and are starting to develop an adorable cluck. I could watch them for hours. Look how big they are!?! They also make a convenient disposal for all my garden scraps. They love cabbage and rotten tomatoes!

In March we decided to make a garden. This summer has been full of learning what to do and what not to do. July was a wash because it was so hot. I never wanted to be outside to weed and a lot of our veggies fried in the heat. 

What worked:

-Green beans were the best by far. I grew these from seeds and they did amazing!

-All of our herbs. We made our money back in herbs. It was so nice to go to garden when I needed something for dinner. We have an endless supply of basil, rosemary, and parsley. 

-The bell peppers were great as well!

-Not sure yet because they aren't ready, but we have a whole bed of sweet potatoes that should be ready in the fall. Super excited about those. 

What didn't work:

-Anything leafy. First, I didn't realize leafy veggies like lettuce, spinach, cabbage and arugula are all fall vegetables, so they ended up really bitter. We also didn't want to use pesticides so all the leaves had holes from hungry bugs. 

-Carrots, this belongs in the sort of category. They were seeded way to close together so the carrots that had more room actually grew to the right size but most of them were so clustered together that they didn't grow at all. 

-Radishes grew so fast and were easy from seeds but they bolted and the radish never grew that big. 

-The tomatoes were doing awesome but the day that they changed from green to red it was like all the squirrels and bugs ate them. Super frustrating, but we made delicious fried green tomatoes instead. 

I am looking forward to digging up a few of the beds and starting a fall crop. 

For the 4th of July we decided to take an adventure to the Minister's Tree House. I love this place. Read all about it here.

The Visiting Orphans staff took a field trip to the zoo! These ladies are family to me. This last summer has been the hardest summer at work. But my co-workers are the best around and we all know how to support each other. Despite the stress of sending 30 teams around the world in the last 2 months, this summer solidified how much I absolutely love my job and the people I work with. I truly am blessed. 

 We also enjoyed a lovely, hot Saturday with the family at a Food Truck Festival. Michael and I are trying to cross off all the food trucks and restaurants in East Nashville on our list. So many great places to eat, so much yummy food!

In July Michael and I joined his family on a trip to Destin, Florida. It was awesome! I haven't been to the beach since 2009 and I loved the break. And my new obsession with the board game Carcassonne. I love strategy games. We play Carcassonne, or 'Crackers' as Michael calls it, just about every night. Throw in Monopoly Deal and Battleship and we are set.

 My twin sister got engaged at the end of July! Wahoo! Lots and lots and lots of wedding planning and dress finding and decor making. Words can not express how happy Michael and I are for Lauren and Evan. I am the Matron of Honor and Michael is the Best Man. They make the best friends around.

 I got to see my sweet friend Karlie at the East Nashville Tomato Festival. This was the best surprise ever. We went from sharing a room for 3 years to living in two different cities. I miss seeing her everyday but it is always a treat when we get to hang out. 

 I love her so much!

 Jonathan and Becca Moody moved back from France in July! We have spent many late nights hanging out with these two. It is such a nice thing to have a married couple that both people love. We could just sit and talk with them for hours! I am so happy they are back in Nashville. 

So this is goodbye to Summer. Michael started his last year of grad school and we are adjusting to the change in schedule.

But the next few months hold a lot of adventures too:
-We are going to NYC in 2 weeks. I can't wait to explore the city with Evan, Lauren and Michael.
-Michael and I both celebrate birthdays in September.
-Visiting Orphans has leader training in September where we will be training 50 leaders. I loved training last year and I am looking forward to connecting with these amazing people.
-And then my twin sister gets married September 29th!! Wahoo!!!!!!!
-Michael and I are also leading a Visiting Orphans team in December to Uganda and Kenya! This will be my first time back to Kenya since I was a child so this will be a huge deal. I also can't wait to meet this team, they all seem like awesome people and I know there will be many adventures ahead.

Until next time...

Minister's Tree House

I spent the 4th of July at this tree house with Michael and Abigail. It was unbelievable. Many of my friends have been here before and I have seen so many pictures but it is worth the drive to experience it for yourself.

Some Tree House Facts:

-The tree house is in right outside of Cookeville, Tennessee.

-It was built by Horace Burgess, a part-time landscaper/part-time tree-house builder.

-He has spent almost 20 years on this project, after being inspired to begin in 1993.

-As the story goes, "I was praying to God and he said, 'If you build me a tree house, I will get you all the supplies." 

-20 years worth of passion, he has actually only put $14,000 into this project. 

-It is 10 stories tall (100 feet) and about 10,000 square feet inside.

-The tree house has structural support on the ground but it also uses the support of 7 trees. One of the trees is an 85 foot massive oak tree. 

-He has put over 258,000 nails into the house. 

-It has over 80 rooms. 

-No blueprints involved, just inspired by God.

-There is actually an architectural class working on making blue prints of this structure now. 

-Admission is totally free. He makes close to no money on this landmark. I bet if he started charging there would be some liability issues. That is probably why there are 'private property' and 'no trespassing' signs everywhere!

-Horace believes that this tree house represents that we are the church and no structure can define it. 

-The tree house is going into the Guinness Book of World Records this year for the Biggest Tree House in the World. 

We heard some hammering coming from the top tower. I knew that Horace Burgess, the designer/builder, is still adding on to the house and I had a feeling it was him. Horace is pictured above putting flags up for the holiday. I snagged the picture of him below off the internet. We ran into him as we were climbing up one of the staircases. He was really friendly and walked up to me and said, "Hi, I am Horace, I built this house." He went on to tell us that he has poured 20 years into this project. It took 11 years to put the roof on. He emphasized that it was a labor of love. It has been a lot of labor but he loves it. He is still adding on to the tree house today and hopes to build a gift shop to make his project self-sustaining. He is currently taking a year off of landscaping so he can put his efforts on the gift shop. After sharing his story he made sure to say that it warms his heart and he is so blessed that people like us show up. And then he walked off telling us to enjoy our visit. 

There was graffiti and signatures everywhere!

From the tallest tower you can see the gardens. He made this as a gift for his wife, so when she is in the tallest tower she can see Jesus in the garden. 

There were so many nooks and crannies. We found one with a tiny swing in it. 

This is the balcony of the chapel.

Below, there was huge chapel in the center of the tree house. 

After taking an hour to explore the tree house, we played hide n'seek. Definitely recommend it! 

A lovely Wednesday visit.